The 73rd Hunger Games
by theguywblackwings
Summary: This is a FanFiction where I put myself and some people I know in the 73rd Hunger Games  WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE, POSSIBLE SPOILERS, READ ALL BOOKS
1. Beginning the Games

There I was perched up on a barren tree looking across the rocky terrain. I peered down at my blood stained hand, a knife in one, and a necklace in the other. My long brown hair hung in my eyes, but large clumps, glued together with blood giving it a red tinge. Wait even I'm confused about this, let's go back to 3 weeks ago, to the day of the Reaping, to the day of my attempted suicide, to the day I became a Tribute.

My day kept getting worse, first Clare, my best friend, wasn't at school, then I threw up and still had to go to work, making guns for Peacekeepers, to top it all off today was the Reaping, when the best of our warriors go to kill people from other districts. That wasn't gonna happen this year, this year, I'm gonna volunteer to be a Tribute. I'll never make it; I'll die on day 1. I'm only 13 so my names in there twice, but I don't care if my worst enemy is up there, I'll be there in the end.

We walked to the Reaping, cramped in a small space with the other guys. Then we all went silent, the mayor gave a speech but I couldn't hear a word over the mumbles. It finally got to the actual Reaping. First was the girls, the District escort reached in and pulled out a name. "Christine Carfwood" he called out. Christine Carfwood a name everyone knew, a 15 year old who's been in so much trouble it's surprising she's still alive. Everyone agreed that if she was drawn that no girls would volunteer, that way we can get rid of her. Then he reached into the guys' names as she walked up, "Chase Lundor". My eyes bulged out of my head; the chances of my name being pulled were 1,000,000 to 1 and that 1 just happened. I walked up as everyone stared, the muscular tomboy who can't follow the rules and the twig who doesn't fit in.

I stood on the stage, looking at the thousands of eyes looking back. "Any volunteers?" asked the escort, seeming to try to ruin my suicide mission. No one. Not a sound. The Careers stayed silent. "Ok then meet your Tributes!" he screamed out.

I sat there in the pampered room in the District hall, waiting for my mom to walk in. I heard footsteps from the hall, probably 3 doors down. My great hearing could hear it clearly, but not as clear as the cheers from outside. Clare walked in wearing a sad face, "What's the chances of them picking out you, well what's the chance of it being anyone else I guess"

"Everyone's pretty happy huh?"

"Sorry, but the two of you are outcasts, freaks. Just like me,"

"So? That means we have to die? Don't answer that, I know everyone here hates outcasts. At least Christine was normal once. I've been different since the day I was born." My only similarity with anyone is the fact my parents are split, my dads a Peacekeeper in District 11 and my mom and I make guns in The Nut. I knew my mom would be here, but my dad probably won't be home to comfort my mom until after the NEXT games have started.

Clare left after realizing I had gone off into thought. I didn't come out of this episode of deep thought until my mom had walked in to say goodbye. She didn't actually say anything, just a long hug and she cried a little. She left trying not to sob about losing her only child. I figured that would be it but I was wrong. The door opened again and I figured it was time to go. Instead my 17-year-old cousin Ryan walked in. I hardly saw my cousins at all the last time I saw him was 4 years ago, I wouldn't recognize him if it weren't for the scar on his temple from a gun testing mistake where a bullet grazed him.

"Hey dude." He said flatly sitting next to me and putting his rucksack by him.

"Hey. What are you doing here? We never see each other."

"I figured that you wouldn't really have a Token," Wow, I didn't really have a Token to wear, I'd want wear it so I don't blow up like a girl a few years ago. "So I brought you this." He said taking something out of the bag. A glove. A black leather glove with red writing on the back. "Here, it says, 'A grounded bird can't compare, to a flock in the air'" I took the glove and stared at it seeing the graceful writing in the palm of the glove. I turned it over to see a drawing of a crow, again in red.

"Wow, thanks, but where the hell did you get this?" I asked since I didn't want some one watching the games to say 'That tribute stole my glove!'

"I found it in my house and my mom said I could have it" he buzzed quickly knowing what I was thinking.

The trip to the Capitol was short. As usual we in warrior garb on the District 2 float on our way to the building. After being escorted to our rooms I found myself lying on my bed thinking about the Games, what terrain? What kind of tricks? What kind of weapons? Eventually I realized I had stayed up all night thinking. The next day we had training, but I was to exhausted to do anything. Note to self: Don't stay up all night. All I did was learn how to tell f something was poisonous or not. Then another Tribute walked up to the teacher, she had medium blonde hair, I recognized her from watching the other Reapings, and her name was Emily, from District 4. "Hey aren't you from District 2?" She asked with a questioning look.

"Yeah, why?"

"It's just aren't most Tributes from 2 Careers and all muscley?"

"Yeah but I'm not a Career." I pointed out, "Not everyone from 2 are Careers. Aren't you a Career, cause you're from 4?"

"Ok, ok I get it. No I'm not a Career. I don't know why none of the Careers volunteered. They just didn't."

"Weird. Same here."

"Anyway. Is that glove your Token?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. Sorry I kind of forgot I was wearing it"

"What's on it?"

"A crow and a quote" I said opening my palm so she could see the crimson calligraphy. "A grounded bird can't compare, to a flock in the air." I said reading it.

"Wow, cheesy"

"Yeah but it's all I got"

"Oh, I brought a turquoise necklace" she said reaching in her standard gray T-shirt and took out a shining light green stone on a silver chain.

"How is that your Token? You can choke someone!"

"The chains to weak"

"Oh"

We hung out the rest of the day talking about our lives back home.

"Yeah being part of the Games is kind of my suicide mission," I admitted after she said how she's better off dead for her family

"Well your mission should be a success with the other Tribute from 4,"

"What makes you say that?"

"He's Bryan Odair. Finnick Odair's cousin."

"Wow, we're dead."

"Yeah, Finnick has trained him since his 5th birthday, that was his birthday wish, to be trained to be a Tribute."

"Why is he just now a Tribute? Why didn't he volunteer last year? Or the year before?"

"His name was drawn last year, but another Career took his place. Then he swore that he would end him himself."

"Well he was wrong, that Career was killed in the games"

"Yeah the Career that they somehow didn't have footage of his death and they claimed was a mutt."

"So what?"

"He went missing when the Games started last year and says that he found the arena, snuck in, took out the cameras, and did what he said he would."

"I don't believe it."

The next day we actually trained, turns out Emily's trident throwing was Finnick worthy, but so was Bryan's. I myself found out that I could hit a fly from 10 feet away with a knife and not kill it. "Another bull's eye way to go!" cheered Emily.

"You can do better with a trident" I provoked.

"You're both pretty good" came a calm voice from behind. We turned around and saw a Career from District 1 Steffany Canish; A 14 year old girl with long blonde hair and sky blue eyes. She was only a year older but probably half a foot taller than me and at least a foot taller than Emily. Emily and I were the second Tributes to get here and she was the first. Earlier she was practicing hand-to-hand combat, then we saw her at archery, and just minutes ago she was using swords. "I can't use these things for crap" She walked to the trident station and picked one up. She carefully aimed at the stationary target and threw it. Bull's eye, on a target at the archery station.

"Wow that's bad." Emily said astonished.

"I'm guessing the two of you will work together in the Games, I want in.," she growled out of nowhere.

"Umm sure, I guess, but just be ready to fight once it's down to us." I said knowing it wouldn't happen.

"More than ready" she said in a creepy tone.

We trained the rest of the day and the next. Then it was time for our scores, Steffany was the second one. Only 1 Tribute afterward it was my turn. I walked in and saw the Gamemakers glaring at me with a steely focus. I picked up a knife and looked at the body paints probably 60 or 70 yards away. I threw it with as much strength as I could. The paint splattered all over the wall. I knew I was on a roll. I used the remainder of my time hitting far off targets with pinpoint accuracy. I left confident in a good score and the slightest feeling of actually making it to the Victor's Village.

We were sitting there in silence waiting for the scores, Steffany: 9, Christine: 6, me: 8, Emily: 8, Bryan: 10. Those are the only Tributes I knew and wanted to know; with a rating of 10 Bryan is sure to part of the Career pack. If there were ever a Tribute with a rating of 10 that wasn't a Tribute, well Panem would probably fall apart at the seams.

Never a days rest here. As soon as I woke up I was whisked away to the stylists, and damn I've never loathed anything more. Burning baths, tearing tweezers, and freaky fabrics. In the end my pale skin was paler, my dark brown hair was darker, and my simple black shirt and pants were replaced with a tuxedo worth more than my house. I got to keep the glove but that was it. The blazer and pants were a midnight black with crimson drawings of crows on them, but something else. A closer look made me realize that there were small rubies in the fabric. Even with the burning and overdressing the thing I hated the most was the fact that they put maroon red eye shadow on me. I was pissed.

I was sitting there at the interview while Steffany answered questions. She was wearing a tiger print dress that was pink instead of orange at the top, fading to red at the bottom. Every question answer had to do with female empowerment, even 'How do you like this gorgeous dress you're wearing?' which she answered with 'I hate it; and I hate how every girl wears a dress every year. I don't like dresses! I feel they say 'I'm weak and high maintenance. Which I'm not.'

Christine's dress looked like a blood splattered wedding dress and all of her answers had to do with death. It was odd.

Then it was my turn. I walked over to Caesar. When I stepped up I saw his crimson face. "Wow! Our eyes match!" He wailed into the microphone. "Anyway, what's your favorite part of the Capitol?" He said with an ear-to-ear smirk.

"I'd have to say the fact that you look like someone stabbed you in the eyes" I said in my sarcastic tone. Followed by murmurs from the audience and chuckles from the tributes.

He gave a fake laugh with his look of 'oh my gosh!' and tried to continue "What a joker! Now, how about you tell us about your Token, it seems to be the base of your outfit."

"It is. It's a glove I got from my cousin. It has a drawing of a crow, like my outfit; and it says 'A grounded bird can't compare, to a flock in the air'" I said looking down at the ground.

"Wow, deep. Now you're probably one the only drawn Tributes from District 2 to actually make it to the Games. Why do you think that is?"

"It's because I'm the freak of District 2. They want to get rid of Christine and I." Caesar tried to stop my rant but I continued. "The people there, much like the people here in the Capitol, despise anyone different. I was going to volunteer myself to be a Tribute as a suicide mission, but I'm gonna show all of you, back at home, here in the Capitol, in the other Districts, that even if your different you don't deserve to die. I'm not committing suicide anymore. I will try to win. I will win. I will be the next Victor." I finished right as the time stopped. Hundreds of eyes started up at me in awe. I'm not the freak of District 2 anymore. I'm the freak of Panem.

Emily's interview went well, she wore a long strapless dress of rainbow fish scales. It kind of made her look like a mermaid. She answered all of her questions sarcastically or comical. No matter how funny her answers were everyone's eyes still gazed at me. The other interviews went the same. It bugged me.

They finally ended and we were off to the Games. I was changed out of the suit and put in a green shirt and cargo pants. I was standing on the metal platform about to rise up into bloodshed. I slowly rose up; even in this tube I could feel the temperature rise and humidity fall. Until finally I saw the sand and rocks of the huge wasteland. I never thought I'd see one again, last time they did this everyone was bored with it.

We all stood there waiting and listening. I looked to my right and saw the smallest Tribute from 11 standing on her platform. Then a huge bird flew out of nowhere and knocked her over causing her to blow up. I nearly ran in he other direction to avoid the chunks flying toward me but stood there to avoid the same fate. Blood drops and what I think was a finger showered me. Let the blood bath begin.


	2. Endding the Games

The gong sounded and I dashed to the Cornucopia. Apparently I'm fast cause I was the first there. I grabbed the first things I saw, a backpack, a jacket, and a hat of some kind. I jumped out just before Bryan finished climbing in and ran off in one direction. I quickly jumped into a ditch, not to far off but still close enough that I can see the Cornucopia. I started going through the stuff I got. The jacket was lined with knives and strings; the backpack was filled with pots, pans, and 4 canteens; and the hat was made of some kind of flexible metal.

The bloodbath went on and neither Emily nor Steffany joined me. Finally they both dove into the ditch bruised and bloodied. Emily had a trident, scarlet with blood. Steffany had a bow, a sheath of arrows, and a giant folded piece of aluminum. "We need to get out of here," Steffany yelled at me. We got up and started running, no questions asked. We found a cave and hid there. We sat at the opening and went through our stuff. We had no idea what to do with the aluminum, we couldn't trap anything, all we saw were snakes and giant birds. After a while the sky showed the deaths as 5 cannon fires went off. The girl from 11 who blew up, both from 9, which made Emily smirk, the guy from 3, and both from 12, all died.

"Crap, not as many as usual, these are gonna be some long Games,"

"Great," I mumbled. I walked over to the fire and grabbed a burning stick. I walked to the cave opening, sat down, and closed my eyes. I wish I could keep my promise to the world. I opened my eyes and blew out the stick.

"What was that?" Emily asked staring at me.

"My birthday is the first day of the Games, today," I said with as much disgust as ever.

"So much for happy birthday," Steffany said under her breath.

We took shifts as lookouts. I had the last shift and realized that deserts are cold at night so I put on my jacket of knives. I huddled up at the mouth of the cave and stared at the harsh flat land. I could feel my eyes starting to flutter with tiredness. Then a loud hum started. It got louder and louder, the pebbles on the ground stared moving and rolling. I stood up as Steffany and Emily joined me at the cave entrance. The loud hum turned into huge crashes in an instant. The ground itself exploded!

Before I knew it I was picking myself up from the sand. The sun beat down on me and I took off the jacket and peered around. The arena was still barren and the Cornucopia still stood. Had I dreamed the earthquake? I turned around and was greeted with a sheer cliff. Half of cave was all that was left. There was nothing beyond it but still darkness below. I went into what was left of the cave. I found the backpack I got at the beginning but the hat was gone. Out of the corner of my eye I saw something else. I picked up the necklace, turquoise. I wrapped the jewel around my glove, and put my backpack & jacket on. I climbed a tree to find somewhere- anywhere to go.

A grove of dead trees. I jumped to the ground and started walking. As soon as I entered the grove I found a small stream. I dunked my head in taking large gulps. I took my head up o find an axe inches from my face. Only a foot or 2 away was the towering giant from District 7. "You're a fool for coming here." He boomed in a deep, voice.

"You're a fool for challenging me." I smirked. I leapt back several feet in one bound. I swooped my arm slinging a knife at him, which he easily dodged letting it get stuck in the tree behind him. I grabbed the thin but strong string that tied the knife to my jacket and yanked it to the point it slashed his shoulder wide open.

I jumped over the stream and pinned him down. The axe flew from his hand to the ground, his arm flung around uselessly. Must've hit a nerve, what luck. "How many Tributes are dead?" I growled holding the red knife to his neck.

"Twelve," he droned in a voice hat questioned my sanity.

"How long ago was that earthquake?" I noticed the look in his eyes as he put the pieces together.

"2 days ago, took out 3 Tributes," He answered.

"Which ones?"

"I don't know." At the moment he finished I slashed his neck wide open. The cannon fire almost immediate. I decided to add some flair and slashed II into his wrist. I searched around but couldn't find any supplies other than the axe. The final 11, wow. I wonder if Emily and Steffany are still alive. BOOM! Another cannon fire. These games are going really fast. Final 10 just like that.

I looked around. I saw barren treetops and a faint gray streak, smoke. Which means I can either fight them or run away with my tail between my legs. Guess I'll fight. I silently walked through the grove and started hearing voices, 1 male and 2 female. At that point I started hiding behind the trees. I started getting close when my world was turned upside down. Literally. There I was dangling by my ankle, then the guy from 10 walked up "WOOHOO! Caught one!" He yelled out tying me up with the rope from the trap. He took my backpack, carried the rope, and put it over my head. He picked me up and we couldn't have gone 8 feet before he dropped me to the ground. I heard muffled whispers that soon turned into fighting voices.

They finally took the bag off my head and I felt a wave of relief seeing Emily and Steffany in tattered, bloodied clothes, but alive. "Sorry about him," said Emily untying me.

"Thanks," I groaned. I gave Emily her necklace and the three of them filled me in on what happened. There was an earthquake, but the ground shifted moving Emily and Steffany (or me, they couldn't tell) to the other side of the arena. "WOW, this has to be one of the dirtiest tricks they've ever pulled,"

"Yeah, anyway this is Kyle from 10," He was… wide, but strong. He had a crew cut, and a five o'clock shadow, must be an older Tribute.

A few days past and 2 cannon fires went off, we assume that there've been fights since they haven't tried sending us into battle. The guys from 11 and 6 died. Together they told me the only ones left are us, Christine, Bryan, and the girls from 7 and 5. They've also been counting the days and it's the start of the 2nd week of the games. Then in the dead of night I heard something from the trees, a morphed mix of a hiss, growl, and screech.

I aimed my arm at the sound and saw the out line of a huge cat. Then I saw the glowing yellow eyes. I slowly walked over and nudge Kyle with my shoe. He quietly awoke and caught on. He started at the shape and eyes and whispered "What the hell?"

If he didn't know what it was then I might as well try this. I swung my arm and the knife went flying, the eyes moved at light speed and severed the string. Crap. Claws, speed, and vision, time for some fight. The thing lunged at me and in the instant between that and impact I saw it. The glowing eyes, orange stripes, sand colored wings, and huge claws, all pouncing straight at me.

I quickly leaped out of it's path as it's huge claws scraped at me, catching the side of my face. The monster landed on Kyle and sunk it's teeth into his lower arm as he let out a horrible scream of pain. I quickly grabbed a knife and sunk it into the thing's neck and it went limp in a second. It took Emily Steffany and I to pull the thing off Kyle and pry it's jaws open. This thing was huge so naturally Emily and I started cutting it up and putting it on the fire while Steffany dealt with Kyle's wound. It took probably half an hour but she did it, then started on mine. She couldn't do much for me but she did her best.

None of us could sleep after that. We just stayed up. As the sun started to rise a cannon went off. "Wonder who that is," I said listening for anymore.

"Don't know," Steffany sighed.

"Hopefully Bryan, that guy would kill us easy," Emily said tearing her teeth into a piece of monster, medium rare.

"What about you Kyle?" Steffany said nudging him with her foot. Nothing. "Kyle?" Steffany said turning him over, on to his back. His eyes were open but not moving, his hand gave slight twitches but his chest didn't move.

After further inspection of the bones the monster was part snake, Emily could tell from the jaw, apparently there's a lot of water snakes where she lives. We got some water from a river and made some soup with some berries we found, then we packed the leftovers. We started marching out of the grove when we saw a parachute falling into a canyon. We started our way there, usually Tributes don't move after getting a gift, so we figured we'd try to ambush them. It turned to night so we went to a cave nearby. While Steffany tried getting more wood I pulled Emily over to talk after she made the fire. "Steffany's to strong,"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean even together we won't be able to kill her when she's done with us,"

"Yeah, good point, now what,"

"I just wanted your consent before I do this,"

"What?" she said as I pulled the small organ from my backpack. I walked over to the meat cooking over the fire and squeezed the organ over a piece. The fire beneath the meat flared up and went blue for a second.

"I went through the organs from that thing o find the poison glad and found it,"

"How do you know that's it?"

"I put some on a living plant I found and the thing died before I could back up,"

Steffany came back and threw down the wood and dug into the meat. She fell asleep and Emily and I took watch. After a while the cannon went off and Steffany stopped breathing. "Final 6," I said glaring at the night sky.

Morning came and with it Emily and I got to work, we found boulders and put them at the cliff of the canyon. Turns out that Bryan and Christine were the 2 in the canyon, and even better, they were still sleeping. After finding and lining 10 boulders we each end of the line of huge stones. We got ready to push, and each went closer to the middle pushing them down, by the time the boulders started hitting the bottom Bryan was awake and running away, Christine on the other hand didn't get up in time and we watched her guts spew out onto the canyon floor.

Bryan started climbing the steep incline with ease, rage flaring in his eyes. I dug into my pocket and put on the steel hat I got back from Emily. I signaled her to get back to the cave and I got ready to kill. "No," she said sternly. "Before I came here Finnick came to see me and told me to make sure that if he does die that it's by my hands," she finished. Before I could get a word in she was shooting arrows from Steffany's bow. Each one Bryan dodged. At that point I started slinging knives at him. He finally made it to the top and pounced up to Emily.

She pulled out her trident and let gravity do the rest. In one swift motion he fell right on the trident as blood went everywhere. He slowly slid down the wooden shaft until finally landing right on Emily. She just laid there for a second with a sickening look on her face as the blood pooled on and around her. "Can I get some help here?" she practically yelled at me.

"Yeah, sorry" I pulled the trident tip carefully in my direction, making the trident and Bryan fall to the ground. Afterwards we went through their stuff, we got another trident, a sword, some kunai (throwing daggers, way better than my knives), and a ball and chain. Emily took the trident and sword while I took the chain and kunai.

At that point we realized it was the final 4. It was us and the girls from 7 and 5 still. We decided to stay there for the night and hunt tomorrow. We woke up early hoping to find them before they were really awake. Only minutes after we woke up we heard a cannon fire, but which one is dead? How? Why? We hurried, packed, and ate on our way to where we saw the hovercraft. We were half way there when a huge rock flew down landing only a foot or 2 from smashing me.

We looked to the sky to be greeted with a meteor shower! We dodged Stone after stone, clumsily running for our destination, we soon stumbled into a small campsite to find the sickly green girl from 5. She had scaly patches all over and razor teeth. She looked at us and immediately snarled her fangs. She turned to the shower just as a gigantic rock flew down splattering blood all over followed by cannon fire. As soon as the cannon sounded the stones stopped.

Final 2, me and Emily, fight to the death.

"So this is it," I said with an arctic chill.

"For you," she growled taking out both tridents.

I slung my arm and let the kunai fly. She effortlessly dodged all of them and quickly put one trident away and took the sword from it's sheath. In one swift motion she sliced the strings I tied to the ends, damn. She threw her trident and I dodged the same and used a knife to cut the thin wire I let her use. I noticed the tall thick tree to my left. I quickly slung my arm and let the ball on the chain fly over and knock the entire tree down between us, I quickly ran back in the direction I came from to escape. I hadn't gone far before I tripped over a meteor. I started to get up when I saw Emily's necklace, just lying on the ground. I reached over and picked it up. I wrapped it around my glove and continued away.

I climbed a tree far away and stared out at the arena (now you're caught up), I had seen people poisoned, exploded, splattered, and skewered. Now I was gonna leave this place and I'll be glad to know that I'll never return.

We didn't see each other the rest of the day, but we understood to meet at the Cornucopia in the morning. She arrived a few minutes after I did. I started slinging the chain at her limbs and she started throwing her tridents and then using the string to get them back. This went on for probably 10 minutes. Finally the Gamemakers got bored, we heard the ground move, heard the trees fall, and stones tumble. Then we saw the ground rip open and out flew a flock of huge birds, each one was different but 5 seemed more threatening than the rest. The first I saw was the fattest, it had huge teeth and a rope-like tail that seemed that it could be used to strangle us. Then a long stealthy one with a booming screech (I didn't even a screech could boom!). The next shot darts at us from its mouth, seeing as how it melted a kunai that I dropped; I'm guessing they're poisonous. Then a bird with huge talons and a beak with 2 extra tips on either side. Finally a bird that picked up rocks and launched them at us.

We took them out in about half an hour, but we had a ton of injuries. I took several beaks and talons to the face and she took a ton of rocks and claws to… everywhere. We faced each other, bruised and blood stained. I was left with 2 knives and she had all3 of her weapons, a sword and 2 tridents. She threw her trident which I dodged, she threw the other and I used a knife to cut it in half, but of course the string broke and we were left with one weapon each.

She leaped over and had the sword to my throat. I thought for a millisecond before I slung my last knife to the Cornucopia, it struck a curve at just the right angle and it flew over and stuck out her mouth the blood dripped on me, and I winced, ready for the blade to fall and slice into my face, but it fell right into the ground.

The Games were over.


	3. Aftermath of the Games

I sat there in my house, a pen in my mouth, a paper of notes in one hand, and 2 books in the other. One book was _Third Times the Charm_, a forbidden book about 3 wars, before my time, called the World Wars. The other was _Suicide Probability_, it had been published a month ago and was already famous, but not to my intended audience. It was famous to Careers all over 2.

I stood up and went downstairs to find my parents in the small kitchen, my mom making either chicken or cake (she's not the best cook) and my dad looking in the hidden fridge for his alcohol. Everything was back to normal if you don't count my craziness in trying to write my next book.

Everyone knows Victors need a talent for the cameras. Mine is writing. I had already written and published my 1st book a month after the Games. _Suicide Probability_ is about my life before the games, up to the point of my name being drawn from all the others. After that everyone knows what happened. Now I was trying to write about my own Games, everyone knows what happened on the outside, but the emotions and feelings of cold death can't be seen on TV. I sat down and stared out the window at the Victors' Village where my aunt and her 7 kids lived, she has a worse alcohol problem than her brother, my father, so I let her live there.

He sat down on the couch next to me, a bottle at hand. "What's the matter Chaz? You've been in your room all week. Why ya down here?" He slurred.

"It's Chase," my mom yelled from the kitchen.

"Yeah! That's what I meant. So why ya here?" He spat at me.

I silently wiped the spit from my arm. I hadn't spoken to him since I he told me the truth. He told me why I'm such a freak. I'm from District 11. My pale skin and dark hair makes me look like I belong in 12 or 3, but I live in 2, and I belong in 11. Confusing yes? He had an affair in 11 and she gave birth to me, he took me from her and told my mom to say I was hers. I was devastated. "Mom, I'm goin' to Clare's house!" I yelled.

"Okay be back by 6!" she yelled back filling a pan with water.

I walked down the street 2 blocks and turned to the small home. I knocked on the door and Clare answered it before I could put my hand down. "Hi! Come on in!" she said hurriedly.

"Thanks I just had to get away from my father," I droned depressingly

"Sheesh, you beat the odds and became a Victor, you killed innocent kids without a thought, and you're scared to face your own dad," she said walking into her small kitchen.

"One, he is not my dad he's my father, two I am not scared of him, and C I only killed 4 people," I said lying down on her couch.

"A, he is your dad cause you still grew up listening to him, B, fine then how about nervous, third, yes but you out survived 23, and E, move your legs or I will sit on them," she said walking over with 2 mugs of tea. I sat up with my knees to my chest and took one of the mugs.

"Whatever, what's this stuff again?" I asked smelling it and getting hints of mint, cinnamon, and lemon.

"It's called yinhintor, its some kind of root that helps calm the mind, my mom uses it a lot, I thought it would help your case of crazy,"

"I hope," I said kind of scared after realizing it wasn't tea brown but instead blood red.

"It better, this stuff wasn't cheap,"

"Why are you having some?"

"To cope with my best friend being crazy,"

In unison we gulped the stuff down, it tasted weird, familiar though. "Tastes like shit," I said.

"Yeah, feel any calmer?" she said putting down the mug.

"So where are your parents?" I asked trying to start a real conversation.

"My dad got sent back to 6 2 days ago," she said with a disappointing tone.

"Lucky I wish my dad were back in 11, then he'd be away from me and back with my mother," I snarled.

"And my mom is out getting food,"

"So is there any other reason you invited me over other than this shit?" I said walking to the sink and pouring out the tea.

"Just wanted you to stop writing for a second and talk to some one." She said putting her long brown hair into a ponytail. "Well, I also need your help with something." She said taking her sweater off exposing her red spaghetti strap with 'HATE' bedazzled on it.

"What?" I asked catching the sweater as she tossed it at me.

"My cat escaped again, can you help?"

"Yeah, I just gotta be home by 6 o'clock,"

We searched all over, bakery, boutique, the Nut, the farm, finally the only place we hadn't checked was the City Hall. We snuck in and started searching, kitchen, no, bathrooms, no, sitting room, no. We went upstairs where there were more Peacekeepers, so we split up to make it fast. I found a room that seemed to be a girls bedroom, must've been one of the mayor's daughter's. I saw a pile of stuffed toys and started searching finally I found the thin, white, bug-eyed cat, "How'd you get all the way over here?" I whispered into Klit's little ear. Then I heard footsteps outside the door and a squeaky voice streaming out orders. "Crap" I mumbled to myself.

"And I wanna have a tea party too, with crumpets, cookies, brownies, and ice cream," the little 7 year-old girl ordered the huge Peacekeepers as they walked into the room, I could see them clearly from under the pile of plush toys. "And I have a question." She said with a bitchy tude.

"And what would that be?" said one Peacekeeper who had a slight twitch.

"What's a crumpet?"

I looked around and saw an air vent; I pulled the thin button eye off the teddy bear under my left foot. Then I used it to unscrew the vent. Now I had 3 issues, how to get out with Klit, without being caught, finding Clare before she gets caught, and telling Clare I got the cat.

After crawling in the vents for what seemed like forever, I finally saw Clare out one of the vents! She was squatting in a bathroom stall with Peacekeepers in the adjacent stalls and at 3 of the sinks. Talk about worse case scenario. She was looking around the ceiling, I assume for an air vent. I took out the button and tried shining it against my shirt. Then I peered out the vent and saw her staring at the vent mumbling, probably about how to get out.

I pointed the button to send her a message in Morse code, a series of a sound or light, it was used in ancient times, I read about it in _Third Times the Charm_. Flash flash, I. That got her attention. Flash flash shine flash, F. Shine shine shine, O. I finally finished the message and she nodded her head. I continued crawling through until I found another room; this one had an emergency keypad on a wall. I reached into my shirt and ripped a part of the flexible fabric off. I loaded the button and aimed, one shot, FIRE! It slammed into the panic button with a loud crack. Alarms sounded and red lights flashed.

Then something I didn't expect, the vents in the duct opened up wide and I ended up falling through one right below me! I slammed into the floor and the cat leaped out the open window, which was of course to small for me. I slammed through the door into the empty hall and started charging down the hall until I saw a television glowing in one door and stopped. The screen showed a woman with a lemon in her hand, on the lemon was a picture that was all too familiar. The crow from my glove. I looked at the screen and then to the glove I was wearing, they were the exact same. I started reading the words at the bottom, 'All over 11 fights are at a new high, at each one the combatants have said that this symbol was the thing that started the fight, but how can one symbol start battle after battle? Investigation is currently underway in 2, where the Victor who showed this symbol lives.' Uh oh, that would be me! I'm under investigation!

I got out the back door and went back to Clare's house where she and Klit were standing on the porch. "OH MY GOSH! You're finally back, I thought you got caught,"

"Yeah, no, but I gotta get home, now,"

"Oh yeah you were supposed to be home an hour ago,"

"WHAT! It's been that long?" I raced home and was met with a drunken father and something smoking from he kitchen with my mom cursing about it.

"There you are! Finally! I was getting worried Chasity!" my father slurred.

"THAT'S IT! I'M TIRED OF YOUR DRUNK ASS! WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK TO 11 AND GET STABBED, OR BEATEN!" I exploded, I'd been mad at my parents but never to the point of yelling my head off, and that wasn't it, "YOU STEAL ME FROM MY REAL MOTHER AND RISK YOUR LIFE TO KEEP ME AND YOU CAN'T EVEN REMEMBER MY DANM NAME! YOU KNOW WHAT GO BACK TO 11, STAY THERE AND FUCK HER TIL YOU BOTH DIE!"

At that point I was yelled at until them sending me to my room seemed like a promise rather than a threat. That's when I made my choice; I was done with my father and didn't want to even live in a house he had ever set foot in. I packed and left. I sent my cousins and aunt back to their house and moved in. I had finished unpacking and I sat down, 9 o'clock. I walked over and picked up the phone, I dialed the number my designer gave me. "Hello?" screeched the high-pitched voice on the other side.

"Hey, Pluvita, it's me Chase,"

"Oh hello, and how's my favorite Tribute?"

"Favorite Tribute? Really? You think I'm gonna buy that?" I sneered into the phone.

"It's true, I mean, you showed that even when people don't believe you, you can still succeed," she giggled.

"Wow, thanks, anyway I'm fine, little mad, you?"

"Oh I'm grand!" then she went on to talk about her parties and friends. I thought that I would call her and she wouldn't answer, but she did, and I actually listened. "So, why are you mad? Media issues? Friends taking advantage of you? Careers bothering you?"

"Na, family issues," I explained the problems to her and she continually said 'Oh my!' and 'That bastard!'

Then when I was done she said "You know it's never good to have family problems, especially when you're famous. You should go to them, say you're sorry, then tell them the problem and they'll apologize to you. That's what they do in my Soaps,"

"Soaps?"

"Yeah, you know, shows about drama and stuff,"

"No, but, if you met my parents you'd know that that wouldn't work, oh shit, midnight, I gotta go bye!"

"Buh bye hon!"

Before I knew it months had past and I was on my way to District 12.

**STORIES FROM EACH DISTRICT COMING SOON! INTRODUCING MORE CHARACTERS FROM THE BOOK! AND SOME OF MY OWN CHARACTERS TOO!**


	4. The Girl and the Axe

**Chase:These may not be long but they are gonna be important!**

**Katniss:Sheesh Chase! You make me sound like a priss! And Gale sounds like a- I don't even know the word!**

**Chase: Just shut up and let them read.**

I stood on the steps of 12's hall as I finished my speech, "And I wish the next Tributes luck, courage, and skill, farewell."

The crowd remained silent as I stepped back into the city hall, my useless mentor Glipths jumped in front of me saying "The feast has been delayed due to a kitchen fire, you have 3 hours to spend in your room."

Before I could fully comprehend her words, 4 Peacekeepers swept me to the room, it was coated in a black dust, the air was thick and hardly breathable, there was a huge TV and a jet black couch, weather it itself was black, I don't know. Then I saw the small open window, outside I could see a huge mountain with people shuffling in and out, covered in dust.

Would I really stay in the room? Of course not! I slipped out of the new tuxedo and reviled the brown, work pants, the plain white T, and slipped on the thick boots, I had seen this outfit once from the last District 12 Reaping. I squeezed through the window and landed n a huge pile of coal dust; I stood up and started off.

The people were an olive color almost, they seemed like they were coated in thin snot instead of thin dust. I looked up at the small buildings, amazed at the open sky! In central 2 the tall buildings blocked most of the sky. In my confused daze I bumped into a skinny, long haired girl, as soon as I stood I met another pale face, "Sorry," said the girl helping me up, "didn't mean to knock you down there," she looked me in the eye, puzzled, "You look familiar, have I seen you at school?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm" my mind rushed through the names of 12 Tributes I've seen in my 14 years of life, "Gret Flint" I said calmly.

She tilted her head, "Sorry, can't recall you, my name's Katniss, maybe I'll see you around school."

"Yeah maybe," I said thinking fat chance, "Well see you around!" I said dashing away. I didn't know where I was going, just going, soon a heard a deep buzz, I saw the metal fence and knew what I was running towards, I tried to stop, but my feet slipped from under me and I slid to the fence ready for sharp pain. It never came, just a hot sensation on my forehead.

"Get up!" said a deep voice.

"Gale stop!" said a familiar voice.

My eyes opened to a girl from before along with a guy who seemed like a green clone. I looked back at the fence, this time noticing the hole near the bottom, the lack of an electric buzzing, and the huge rock with a hint of blood. My eyes went huge and I reached to the back of my head, and felt a rough bandage, I looked up and saw 2 stares, 1 said I-should-have-killed-this-dude and the other said glad-I-had-those-bandages. "Thanks" I said as Katniss helped me up. "Wait what time is it?"

"Uh about 5." She said looking to the sun.

"Crap!" with that I zipped under the fence. Mentally I thanked the girl named Katniss, and wished her luck with the battle-axe I assumed she was 'with'.


	5. A Mother's Last Gift

I finished my speech for the 2nd time and went into the City Hall. I got the same delay as in 12, kitchen fire (what are the chances of that? (;), but his time for 4 hours. I did the same as last, sneaking out the window after changing into a t-shirt and shorts. I had to knock out 2 Peacekeepers but they weren't a bother at all, especially since they carry knives, since I wasn't allowed to have mine I grabbed theirs (can't use a gun so, no)

11 was wide open with people going everywhere and the smell of peach in the air… and apple, orange, lemon, grape, you know I'm just gonna say fruit! Despite the smell I didn't see a single fruit. "Back to work" said a Peacekeeper pointing a gun to my back. He pushed me deep into an orchard at a fast pace. Soon he brought me to a thick fruit tree and jammed a basket around my neck. I peered into the surrounding trees and saw people with baskets hanging from their necks filled with fruit.

I jumped up into the tree, grabbing a limb on my first try, and started to climb, within seconds I started putting the lemons in my basket, stacking them carefully, after half an hour or so, a girl swung over from her tree to mine, "You should go empty that you know." She said as a little boy swung over too.

"Trish we need to get back to work, don't mind him!" said the boy, they were a dark chocolate color, she had a long ponytail, and he had a short cut. Trish seemed to be about 17, the boy looked more like he was 9 or 10.

"We need to empty our baskets anyway Scoot," we went back down to the ground and walked to some rail road tracks, on the tracks were 2 carts, one filled with baskets filled with fruit, the other filled with empty baskets, we put our baskets in the cart and they grabbed 2 new ones.

"Hey have either of you heard of a Jasmine Wellbrook?" I asked saying my real mom's name for the first time.

They looked at me like I was an idiot. "Follow us." Said Trish with a huge smile as her eyes went wide. We crept past a line of Peacekeepers and through fields and orchards. Soon we found ourselves creeping past slabs of stone with elegant text written on them. Then we found it, _R.I.P., Jasmine Wellbrook, Kind Crazed Caretaker_.

"What?" I asked touching the lettering, not believing what I was reading.

"If I may," started Trish, "why would a victor from 2 want to see a woman from 11?"

"Well you found me out."

"Yeah, Trish saw the glove." Said Scoot holding out his open palm with a small piece of bread in it, on it was the image of the raven on my glove, burnt on the small grain.

I explained everything my father told me about my mother. "Woah, then you're her son? So she wasn't crazy!" Trish said going behind the tombstone. She came back with a small box. "Then you can open this."

She handed it to me and on top was a small keypad. I thought. Then slowly typed in the only thing she gave me. C-h-a-s-e, the small latch clicked. I slowly opened the small cube. Inside were 3 things, first was a small ring with 20 on each side, one side had a peace symbol and the other had "FREEDOM" engraved on it. The gem was a shining black onyx, can't be found anymore 'cause they were all dug up, which contributed to the 3rd World War I read about.

The second thing was a small silver key. The third was a small paper that said nothing but 1 word. _I am sorry._ I felt a single tear run down my cheek. I put the ring on my right middle finger, slipping it over the creases of the glove. I slipped the key in my pocket, and on our way back to the trees I tossed the box and paper into a river. They explained she rambled on about a son that no one knew about, me. She would care for newborns at the hospital and that's why it said Caretaker.

"Well you have to leave, goodbye." Said Trish.

"You know, I don't think so." I said with a feeling I'd see them again.

I snuck back into the building and acted like nothing happened.


	6. The Start of the Fire

"Oh I am so glad we are back in the Capitol," chirped Thrypol, a member of my prep team, "especially since now we can do some slight alterations."

"What?" I gasped.

"Yeah it was all approved by Pluvita, but she said only one skin alteration,"

Hours later I could take off the bandage under my right eye. It still stung, but it was this or having my skin dyed blood red. I slowly peeled it off each second bringing a burning hot sensation to my entire face. After what seemed like ages I saw the black swoops on my face that created the image of, that's right, another raven.

To me it seemed flashy and ugly, but the team couldn't stop saying how good it looked. The days of the Capitol and the District 2 feast seemed to fly by, the next thing I knew I was lying in Clare's house, to my left was her kitchen, to my right, the stair case. Woah, what the fuck happened?.

Clare came down and sat next to where I had moved to on the couch. "Hey mister quiet." She said slipping the rest of her midnight blue top on over her dark purple bra.

"Hey miss stripper sleeper. What do you mean quiet?" I asked.

"You were like zoned out the whole time you were here." She said putting on a pair of fuzzy green socks and fixes her short shorts.

"Really? Hopefully I don't become a drunk like my father." I said looking around for my glove. Finally I found Klit using it as a pillow. "I'll take that." I said as he hissed at me. "Hey Clare I'm gonna go home ok."

"Oh wait I'll go too." I waited for her to change and we went to my house. "So how were the other Districts?"

"They were weird, I mean they all looked so different and I learned so much from sneaking around."

"Learn anything 'bout anything I care about?" she said with a smile saying 'skip the cheesy crap'.

"Well I learned that that girl Emily from the Games has- had a twin sister, that Kyle kid had a fiancé, oh and then there's the stuff about my mother," I explained everything to her.

"Wow."

Time passed, everything went back to normal. Things started getting interesting during the next Games. The first ever double victory. They acted like lovebirds, but I saw through their ploy. Afterwards the months seemed to drag along, before long yet another Victory Tour came along. During their Capitol written speech I focused my gaze, something seemed odd about the girl, "Clare," I said tapping on her shoulder, "what are their names again?"

"Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen."

"Katniss?" I yelled not believing it. Heads turned to shush me as they droned on as I had nearly a year ago. Soon it was time for the feast, as he former Victor I was invited.

Everyone was escorted to pre-decided seats. To my right were the Victors themselves, to my left was Clare, my +1. Behind us was the mayor and his family. "So Katniss," I begin, thinking about where to go with this, "how do you like being a Victor?" I asked sipping at my unbearably sour punch.

"Eh." That was her only response.

"You know you look familiar to me, were you ever on TV before the Games?"

"Nope." She continued to look at her plate, as if avoiding my view.

"You know when you're conversing with someone it's customary to look them n he eyes." I said lightly putting my hand on her chin and pivoting her head to look at me. The second I did her eyes went wide. Her hands covered her mouth as I let go of her chin, "recognize me?" I explained all my sneaking out and she listened in awe, occasionally having to stop to suck Peeta's face.

"Wow. I wish I did more stuff like that during the tour, but I have to stick to Peeta like glue."

"Here," I wrote my number on a piece of paper, "Call anytime, your pretty funny."

"Wow, thanks." She said with a slight blush. Her eyes went wide and she gave me funny look, "Wait, are you-"

"Don't worry," I say cutting her off "I don't want to destroy everyone's illusion of you and Peeta."

"Well at least someone can tell."

"More than you think, by the way why were avoiding me at first?" I asked referring to before I revealed myself.

"The mark on your face, it reminds me of the Capitol, which I don't wanna be a part of."

I reached up and grazed the mark with my finger, sharp pain exploding in my face from a touch even as slight as that. "Yeah well I didn't want it, my prep team did."

"Sheesh, I'm glad my team isn't that pushy."

"You should be."

We talked the whole time until it was time for them to go to 1. I told Clare about the whole conversation, since she was more focused on food than our talking

"So that's why you asked her name."

"Yeah, I'm going home, if she calls I don't want to disappoint."

Over the next few months I got a few calls from Katniss, the first was about her hurt friend, the guy she was with that day in the woods, after 2 hours or so about Gale we changed over and I talked about Clare. The next call we just talked family. Then she told me about a recent hunting trip where she found some people who escaped 8, and also about her recent injury.

After that conversation I started talking to Clare about an uprising. "Chase your crazy, we live in 2, specializing in weaponry and Peacekeepers."

"Exactly, we can steal the weapons, learn about Peacekeepers, we can-" an unbelievably painful shock exploded in my face. My hands cupped my marked cheek.

"Sorry about the slap, but you're talking crazy!" we went on yelling at each other until I went home, I didn't feel like yelling anymore, but the last two things said still echo in my head _"Chase if you go through with this I'm never speaking to you again!" "Than this is good-bye!"_

I lied on my bed regretting my words, time went on and I worked on my book, people would stop by from time to time to check on me. I started forgetting the most basic of stuff, so I began thumbtacking reminders on my ceiling above my bed for when I roll over. One day I awoke to '**BIG** **CAPITOL** **PROGRAM**'. I went downstairs at seven thirty, at first it was just Katniss in flowing wedding dresses, then an announcement about the Quarter Quell, between the two I ran to Clare's house, apologized and watched with her family, the closest thing to a family a have. Snow read about the Dark Days. Then got to the topic of Quarter Quell.

"On the twenty-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that their children were dying because of their choice to initiate violence, every district was made to hold an election and vote on the tributes who would represent it." I wonder what 2 would do, vote the weak, to weed them out, or the strong to stay on top? "On the fiftieth anniversary, as a reminder that two rebels died for each Capitol citizen, every district was required to send twice as many tributes." The thought of outliving 47 people, and being from 12 like that victor, is unimaginable. I wonder if he's still alive, he was hurt pretty badly in the repeats I've seen. "And now we honor our third Quarter Quell," the child next to him opens a box and Snow took an envelope marked 75 out. He removes the paper and reads "On the seventy-fifth anniversary, as a reminder to the rebels that even the strongest among them cannot overcome the power of the Capitol, the male and female tributes will be reaped from their existing victor pool."

Our eyes went wide, there are currently 25 victors in 2, 19 are male, I have a 1 in 19 chance of going back to the pain, the agony, the torture, of the Games


	7. The Games Begin A New

I CHANGED A LOT MORE THAN THE LAST FEW TIMES, SORRY IF A CHARACTER YOU LIKE WAS TAKEN OUT, MORE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS AND THIS CONTINUES CATCHING FIRE FROM MY CHARACTER'S VEIW.

I count myself lucky, I don't really know any other tributes, only Katniss, May, and Annie. I shunned the rest 'cause I saw them as Capitol clones, like how Katniss saw me. Annie from 4 was the only one who seemed true, the only one who showed me any respect. May's from 3 and loved that I, the underdog, came out on top. The rest saw me as lucky. Even the 2 kids I was supposed to train them, but they thought I had nothing to teach them. I laughed at Clove and Cato's deaths, I could've given them more but I just wanted it to seem like I was helping them.

Clare and I talked in her room, "I don't care weather or not you talk about rebellion anymore, after a dirty trick like that the Capitol deserves to end."

"Clare, I give up on rebellion, it's just to far from reach. It'll never happen." We talked all night until finally we both fell asleep. I woke up and left a note before going back to my house, my phone beeped and read that I had four messages. Katniss: "Chase, I hope I don't face you, Peeta has decided he's going in he games with me, I hope I see you again, but if not, good-bye." Annie: "Hey Chase! I just finished your new book and it's awesome! Congrats!" (That was left before the announcement). May: "Chase, I was afraid you wouldn't be there, we need to talk, but ummm, talk to Finnick first." At first this struck me as odd, but then I listened to the forth message. Finnick: "Chase, I know we haven't met but I need to talk to you, but, not like this, I don't know how, but you'll find a way." He doesn't want to talk over the phone, which means he needs to talk about something the Capitol cant know about. The only way I can think of scares me, the Games.

The Reaping leaves few in the pins. Nineteen guys in one and six girls in the other. Enobaria and Brutus are pulled from the orbs. I shutter as my voice speaks out, "I volunteer for Brutus!" he shoots me a look of pure hatred. I walk up take his place. Unlike last time we are taken right to the train. In an instant I run to a window and scream at the top of my lungs "Clare!" I open my eyes letting the unfamiliar feel of tears flow across my face. Some how, someway, I see her, among the tops of buildings on her roof.

Our mentor told us all Tributes are writing letters instead of final words. I write 3 pages to Clare, almost not fitting the envelope. To my parents, I put in huge print **I HAVE NO REGRETS.**

We arrived at the Capitol as it went dark, I was sent to my room where I just fell to my bed. Soon we were to see the recap of Reapings, like I hoped Finnick was there, I could talk to him in person like May wanted me to, A girl named Wiress was called from 3, but May took her place in an instant. Annie was drawn but an old lady took her place, I assume to let her continue her life with Finnick if he lives.

The prep team was in tears the next moment, saying first Cato and now me. For the Chariot ride I was in a jet-black suit with a feathery texture and feathers dangling from my arms. Enobaria wore a tiger print suit of armor striped black and gold, to work with her sharpened gold teeth. I go to where the chariots are and I'm one of the first there. I look around and slowly walk to Finnick, his outfit is basically just a net, knotted somewhere, so it's still allowed.

I walked up silently. His eyes pop out of his head and he practically jumped out of his skin, lucky for me the net stayed on him. His usually bright eyes were a fierce dark sea green. He spoke in a whisper in my ear, to close for comfort, "We need your help for the rebellion," he explained a long complicated plan to escape the arena, "Tell me now if you want anyone out of the Districts. After we start anyone you know could be in danger."

I thought for a millisecond, "Clare from 2 and Scoot and Trish from 11."

"Ya know Trish and Scoot's last names?"

"Sorry, no."

"They'll try their best, now act natural."

I went to talk to May at the 3 Chariot, her brown hair dangled down to her shoulders. She now had a light blue highlight that showed lines of glowing purple when she moved her head. She had on tight black clothes. When her body moved holograms of bright yellow software shapes leaped from her body making it seem she had fireflies encircling her. She won the 71st Hunger Games and used honey to attract poisonous bugs to other tributes, after the games she had to get several vaccinations and a liver transplant. "Hey Chase, nice suit!"

"Nice… outfit."

She stepped close like Finnick had, "Did you talk to Finnick?"

"Yeah, I'm in."

"Good."

I saw Finnick talking to Katniss and walked over, "before I know them myself." They peered at me for a second and continued on.

"Unfortunately I think that's true. Peeta is coming. Sorry you have to cancel your wedding. I know how devastating that must be for you." He says walking off.

"What were you two talking about?" I asked wondering if she's in on the rebellion.

"Outfits and money." I walk off before Peeta gets there, is Finnick really not letting her be in on this? I know my raven started the rebellion but her berries and mockingjay really set it aflame!

I dash to my chariot as the doors open and I have seconds to go probably 30 feet. I get there just in time to jump in before it starts off. We smirk as we ride through the town, Enobaria growling at me, "What took you?"

"I was making conversation," I say through clenched teeth.

Later in the elevator was awkward, why Johanna stripped down naked, I don't know. Getting off the elevator we were greeted by 2 Avoxes. Both were pale white and skinny, probably previous morphling addicts. We watched the replay of the chariot ride, most looked horrible. The best were Katniss, Peeta, Finnick, Joanna, May, and I. Being the youngest its to be expected, I was the youngest of all at 15, then Katniss and Peeta at 16, and May at 17. The four of us would still be in the drawing for the Games if we hadn't won. Enobaria and I were the first to show up, followed by Katniss and Peeta who I start to talk to just to finally have someone to chat with.

"So what's up lovebirds?"

"Shut up Chase," Katniss growled at me as I back flipped off a table (I've been working on my agility since I got on the train).

More people started showing up as time went on, soon it was time to start training. Like last year I hung around the knives, but soon went over to the knot station with Katniss and Finnick. Katniss and I talk a little and we decide to team up like I figured we would. We split up and I get May to join us as well. May and I caught up during lunch, ignoring the others. I was the first Tribute to leave, later I'd ask Katniss who else was in our team.

The next day she tells me that it's her, Peeta, Beetee, Mags, May, possibly Finnick, and me. For my private training session I choose to do what everyone does, goof off! When I get there I finally settle on showing off my back flips and other agile feats. I was scored with an eight, but the big shock was both Katniss and Peeta having twelves! I figure they either really impressed them, or pissed them off more than ever.

The next day Enobaria and I had interview training, but first President Snow greeted me on my way there. "Hello Chase, let's chat," his breath reeked with a scent sending me back to the Games. When the girl blew up. When Bryan was skewered. When Emily's blood dripped to my face after her murder, because of me, because of the Games, because of Snow. "So Chase," he said snapping his fingers in my face to bring me back to reality. "Your raven has become quite popular, in fact it's burning a mark right into Panem."

"Excuse me?"

"Your raven is causing me a lot of trouble, so after these Games, one of two things will be true," he blood smell started making me dizzy, "either you will be but a memory, or I will insure such." With that he continued down the hall.

I got to my interview training room, "Hello Chase," growled my always angry mentor Brutus.

"I'm afraid we have some bad news for you Chase, Katniss and Peeta wish to work in a duo, sorry," chirped Nather, our escort from the Capitol.

"Okay then, I'll work on my own, at first at least, maybe work with Finnick and Mags." The rest of training was 'stand up straight', 'don't yawn', and 'cursing is rude, so don't put that in your answer'.

My prep team wakes me and gets me ready for Pluvita, "So I'm gonna let you decide, your feather suit from the chariot, or the casual killer." She had two transparent garment bags. In one was my outfit from the chariot ride. The other had a black t-shirt, black hoodie, dark blue jeans covered in black onyx, and an odd looking belt.

"I'm gonna say casual killer." I grabbed it and starting changing.

"Wait! Be careful, the belt and hoodie are connected, you'll see why, when Caesar asks about the outfit grab the excess of the belt and pull."

"Odd, but okay, I'll be careful."

Before the interviews everyone stopped and saw Katniss in her flowing wedding dress, Finnick says something I couldn't make out 'cause he was facing the other way, "Sorry but aren't you a bit overdressed?"

"It's an interview, and aren't you a bit underdressed?"

"Fair."

The interviews began and I waited my turn. Finally I stood and walked over he lavender suit that was Caesar. "So Chase, how's life been since the Games?"

"I won't lie, it's been rather exciting."

"Well you were quite the exciting victor! Your birthday being the first day in the arena, being an underdog what with the earthquake…" I phased out again, remembering the Games. "Chase?" I snapped back at my name.

"What?"

"I said, for such an exciting victor, what a bland outfit, why?"

"Well it may seem dull but its got quite a feature!" I grabbed the belt and did as I was instructed. The hood of the jacket swooped over my head. It looked like a raven head, so the beak blocked most of my view. The sleeves ripped off and rods shot from my arms and black feathers fell covering my arms and reaching down to the floor where the tips came to rest.

Caesar's overly painted face twisted into a huge smile. "WOW quite a feature indeed."

"Thank you."

"Now back to you! Leaving any certain _someone_ behind?" he nudged my left… wing (?).

"Well, umm." My throat closed up at the thought I'd been trying so hard to keep covered with sarcasm and cursing.

"Well, spit it out bud."

"Just two people, my friend who's practically a sister Clare and the girl you'll be speaking to in a matter of seconds. Bye!" I blurted out as my time ended.

I took a quick bow accidentally hitting Caesar in the leg with a wing. I quickly sat back down and turned to see May gasping at me in shock. She stood up and sheepishly stepped up to Caesar, looking uncomfortable in the tight dress and really high heels. She quietly answered question after question occasionally peering back at me during the awkward questions about what I just said.

The rest were all about how horrid these Games would be, Katniss was pretty interesting though I wonder if Cinna and Pluvita talk a lot. Peeta continued the fake romance with a ridiculous accusation of a baby that nearly makes me implode in laughter, May's tear filled eyes glare a me slapping the smirk off my face with a look. When we stood I noticed Enobaria's grip on my hand, I look around and see everyone doing it. I look up to May, and we slowly grip each other's hands and intertwined our fingers. We were forced to our rooms and weren't allowed out. I'm betting we just dug our graves.

I stood in my simple blue jumpsuit. I leaned against the glass of the tube regretting every word I said last night. I felt something hit the tube. I turn and see the empty room, as the door slams shut. I begin to rise as I notice the red smudges on the floor. The raven hoodie. If she was taken for that then I can only imagine what happened to Cinna. I have to focus.

I close my eyes and open them to see water, and lots of it. There are no lakes or anything in 2, no kind of water but sinks and showers. Only in the training facility for Careers can a pool be found but I've never stepped in there. How am I supposed to get to land?


	8. Changes in a Second

The familiar gong sounds and I leap as far as I can into the waves. I float to the surface and see the spoke of land about half the distance away. I feel someone's iron grip on my arm. It pulls me to shore and I breathe a lungful of air. I look up with salt stinging my eyes and see Finnick. I stand up coughing out "Let's go!"

We run to the Cornucopia and find Katniss. As they talk I rummage through the pile, soon finding a belt of glistening knives, "Got it!" I yell over my shoulder as they finish talking.

"Chase!" Finnick calls out, "Take that side!" I see Finnick and Katniss have each taken a side of the pile and I take the side I'm already on, backing up to the pile. The girl I recall Katniss calling Seeder jumped at me with a mace at hand, I extended an arm and it stabbed her through the heart. Katniss and Finnick started grabbing weapons. I follow their lead and start grabbing some knives and a trident. I follow them onto a strip of land near Peeta. I start picking up the knives they drop, dropping the trident myself to use both hands as Finnick dives into the water. I turn to my left to see Mags climbing onto the land. I don't see May anywhere, probably on the other end of the Cornucopia, but we don't have time. We run into the rain forest as soon as Finnick returns with Peeta.

I take the lead, slashing at branches with a knife. Eventually Finnick, with Mags on his back, requests a rest. I feel fine until I actually stop, but as soon as I do my legs give out and I fall against a tree. Shouldn't make a habit out of that. A lot of trees are probably poisonous or full of mutts. I'm just about to say that aloud when Katniss starts to climb one, too late.

Finnick grabs a trident and gets in battle position, ready to kill Katniss when she lands from the tree. I do the same grabbing my knives. Eventually she lands, Finnick babbles on about nonviolence and Katniss replies with a no. "Because whatever happened in the past is the past. And no one in this area was a victor by chance. Except maybe Peeta or Chase." I glare at him and he returns it, knowing my first intent for the Games was suicide. My head rang with me connecting words and situations. Maybe, possibility, probability, _Suicide Probability_. We choose to keep moving when I snap back to reality, everyone staring at me. "I said we should keep moving right Chase?"

"Uh yeah."

"Does that happen a lot?" Katniss questioned, as we started moving.

"Increasingly." I say violently slashing a vine. I swing my knife and in mid-swing I hear the slightest buzzing. My eyes widen as I realize what I'm slashing at. Then I feel the worst pain I ever have, then darkness…

My eyes sluggishly open to find Finnick's face right in mine. I spaz out and push him off me, almost into the force field. "What the fu-" I remember the pain. I sighed feeling guilt. "Sorry."

"No problem. I'm just glad you dropped that knife when you fell." I picked up my knife.

"Well, I'm ok now, just a bit twitchier than usual." I said with a quick twitch of the neck.

"You were dead! Your heart stopped!" Katniss blurted.

"Did the cannon sound?"

"No." Peeta said from a nearby tree.

"Then I guess I'm still in the Games!" we decide to continue. Despite my saying that I'm ok, they choose to go slowly and put Katniss in he lead. Katniss lies about the force field, I don't know how she saw the field, but I can tell a lie when I see one. Katniss takes the lead, followed by Mags, me, Peeta, and then Finnick. We take another break, I pick up a nut that Katniss threw to the force field, cracked it open, and popped it in my mouth like Mags had. Katniss climbs a tree to see if any water could be found, but all she tells us that the field is a dome. We still go in circles, but further in the jungle to avoid the force field.

We finally stop and Mags and Finnick start weaving mats while Peeta and I start tossing those nuts against the force field and peeling them. While Katniss searched for water we heard eight cannon fires. "Long bloodbath." When Katniss came back we had bowls of food, shacks and mats, and I even managed a fire. To block the smoke Mags made a small raised tent to disperse the smoke and make it to thin to see. We started cooking the rodent and talked about stuff. Soon I remembered something. I walked over and grabbed a flaming stick from the fire. I sat down and closed my eyes. _I wish May were safe._ I blew out the flame and the others stared at me.

"What was that? You did it last year too." Finnick asked taking the stick and tossing it back into the flame. It was hard to find dry wood, don't want to waste it.

"In 2, on our birthdays, we blow out a candle and make a wish. The candle represents the year of your life that just past. The wish is usually something to help during the next year of life, but this year and the year before last, its been wishes to help me for the next few days." I flashed back to my last Games again, the looks from Emily and Steffany, the wish to keep my promise to Panem, to kill them all. I snap back again to find four pairs of eyes watching me.

We sat in a line at the shacks and waited for the faces of the dead, the guy from 5, guy from 6, both from 8 and 9, the girl from 10, and Seeder whose blood still painted my right hand. A silver parachute falls before us. Finnick lets me open it for the lame reason of the fact I died. I open it to find a bent, hollow tube. Peeta checks if it makes a sound, Finnick sees if it can be used as a weapon, Mags said she can't fish with it, I can't throw it straight to stab someone and Katniss just let it roll around in her hand. Katniss makes note that our three mentors are working together, so we should think about the three of them, "I doubt Brutus is helping me, he's probably keeping Enobaria alive while he waits for me to die. You hear me Panem." I said with a huge smirk. "If you want me to live pay 12 and 4, not 2." I knew the Capitol wouldn't show that, but why not try?

"I give up. Maybe if we hook up with Beetee or May they can figure it out." Her hands clapped over her mouth, she looked over at me and mouthed the word "Sorry." I just ignored it and lied down. "A spile!"

"What?" Finnick and I say sitting up at the same time. Katniss explained it and we started putting a hole in a tree. Soon we had a stream of water after hours of nothing. We finally start getting ready to sleep but my eyes won't shut. Finnick and I share he first watch, taking opposite sides of the campsite. We sit back to back to keep watch of both sides of the campsite. "So you trained Bryan?"

"Yeah, he was one of the three people in the world who actually listen to me."

"How so?"

"Well most people look at me and think either, he's coincided or he's hot and then leave it at that. But Bryan, Mags, and Annie actually got to know me."

"Sorry, I still feel like if I weren't there, he could still be around."

"It's ok. He wanted to be a Career, he knew the threat."

Then out of nowhere, 12 bongs sound off. They all wake up and we see a thunderstorm start. "Guys sleep, I'll watch." Katniss said, Finnick went to sleep. I refused, the storm making me jumpy, I could feel myself vibrating, remembering the storm that took my first friend.

Back in 2, 2nd grade, the day was sunny but the night brought claps of thunder and flashes of lightning. When I woke up, what was once my house was in shambles and my ears rang. My bed was filled with broken glass from my window. The wind whipped my hair around. My 'mom' came in and swept me down to the basement. When the wind stopped my brother still hadn't come down from upstairs.

"CHASE!" Katniss screamed in my ear.

"Huh? What? Was I asleep?"

"No you phased out again now come on!" I feel my skin tingle. Then the simple tingle turns into sharp stabs of pain. I see the others, wide-awake as well. I see the mist, creeping on. We run, not waiting to see anything else, we just run. I was the farthest ahead, again slashing as much foliage away as I could while still going quick. I heard Finnick yelling, getting farther away. I just keep running, slicing away. Until finally I stop. My arm gives out. I haven't gotten enough sleep. I just roll over and lie there. Soon I feel the air rush out of me as the weight of three people on my chest. Only three. The mist stops. "It's stopped." We watched it rise into the sky. Then Peeta rolled off Finnick and over my face.

"Really? You couldn't go the other way?"

"Sorry." He slurred making it sound more like 'sew ree'. Finnick stands for a second then falls on the ground, making sure not to squash me again.

After we see a bunch of big orangutans I help them to the water. My arms still felt twitchy, but that's nothing compared to them. After their odd healing session and an explanation about Mags we start helping Finnick. Realizing how loud he was I start looking out for the 3 Careers. After what seems like forever I make a hole in a tree so Katniss can get some water.

Soon Katniss was saying something to me about coming into the woods quietly. I silently walk in and feel the warmth bore into my skin. My eyes flew up to meet orange beasts flying at me with sharp teeth. My knives stick to my hands as I slash at them wildly, their blood staining my skin and hair. The others spring into action and we meet at one point, keeping our backs to each other. When I spin around I see the monkeys run and the dying body of the girl from 6.

Peeta and Katniss stay with her on the beach, as Finnick and I get the arrows and knives from the beast carcasses. The cannon sounds and I walk back to see her body floating before flying to the hovercraft. Finnick and I give Katniss her arrows. We wash our wounds and I look at my reflection. The rebellious mark on my cheek now had a red gash through it. We bandage ourselves up with moss and start getting water from the tree. After the mist I can't and must sleep, so I lie down and try. It's useless 'cause Finnick's quiet sobs keep me awake. I pretend to awaken and watch with Finnick as the other two sleep, to see everything we sit back to back again. I try to think of something to talk about, but it all would just bring forth bitter memories.

"So May?" I hear his smooth voice say with a hint saying that this statement was a question.

"What about her?"

"Why her?"

"Why Annie?"

"Touché."

"I don't look on the outside." I started, "I like that she can stand up for herself. If I go out of line she can snap me right back."

I feel him nod. "Fair points. Annie and I just click. Most girls look at me and melt. She didn't. Until we actually spoke."

I nodded like he had. "I wonder where May is." We stayed quiet the rest of the watch remembering the cameras. We start weaving and then get some shellfish, keeping our eyes peeled. Eventually Katniss wakes up. She yells at Haymitch and we get some ointment for our skin. I rub some on my arms and a dab on my cheek. Next thing I know Peeta's having a heart attack thanks to Katniss and Finnick. Then we got a parachute of bread.

As we eat I think. Eleven dead and thirteen alive. Nine are hidden in the forest and then there's the four of us. Then we hear a scream of fear as the waves across the area flow into the forest. They sling back to us taking the other three's jumpsuits. I was the only one who still had the Capitol issued suit. Torn, but still there. I want to show the least bit of skin I can. For two months after my last games I peeled from the burning sun. The smallest motion would make my skin sear.

Katniss nodded her head behind me and I turned to see three forms, one being dragged by another and one walking around tottering back and forth. We move through the woods. Then I see the familiar brown hair and fair skin. I can't help my self as I dash out of the trees calling out "MAY!" she teetered to and fro as I wrapped my arms around her, slowly her arms did the same. Soon Finnick comes running out and the other two following. May stayed quiet but barely continued to teeter back and forth. I noticed Beetee on the ground being dragged by Johanna, all three coated in red, giving off and oh so familiar scent.

Turns out it rained blood on them and the other 7 Tribute had walked into the force field, the thought made me shiver. Beetee was stabbed in the bloodbath and May was in some kind of shock. We take the three to camp and help clean the blood off. Katniss heals them as best she can and hangs their underclothes to dry. Johanna eats while I slowly feed May as much as I could. Finnick tells Johanna everything, skipping what the fog's biggest harm was. Johanna and Katniss stay up while we rest. I slept facing where May had finally lied down to rest.

I wake to Johanna slamming in between Finnick and I hitting my back with her arm. I walk over and put my arm over May who was sitting by Katniss, still moving to and fro. The sun was beating down. Must be midday. The crash of thunder like that night boomed in the same spot.

I focus on whispering to May. "It's all ok. Try to stop and calm down." Her tilting back and forth got me thinking. Back and forth. Just like the old clock from the victor's village house I went crazy in. Clock. The storm at midnight and now at midday. I couldn't help embracing May with a hug saying "A clock! It's a clock!" I talk to Katniss and we see that we would soon be at the mercy of fog and monkeys. We awaken the others, explain, and move. I praise May for telling me the clock and we move. Making sure we had our stuff, all the other three really had was Beetee's wire. We went to the Cornucopia to check my clock theory.

Soon May pointed to the fog saying "Two."

"Like clockwork," said Peeta. "You were very smart to figure that out May."

"Oh she's more than smart. She can sense things before most people, its what let her win her Games." I state remembering how she would hear mutts before anyone else would.

"Like a canary in the coal mines?" Katniss asks patting May's shoulder.

"What?" Finnick and I say again at the same time.

"It's a bird that we take down into the mines to warn us if there's bad air."

"What's it do, die?" asked Johanna with a wicked smirk.

"It stops singing first. That's when you should get out. But if the air's too bad, it dies, yes. And so do you."

Johanna found two axes in the leftover weaponry. Obviously she knows how to use it. She's from 7! What idiot wouldn't predict her accuracy with them? I always thought 7 should be a Career district, they know how to use axes, so what if 1 is rich? All they do is make couches and TVs.

Everyone watched Peeta while I sat with May. While the others talk Gloss silently sneaks out of the water and hurls a knife at us! I catch it before it met May's throat. "You just dug your grave." I growl as I point the blade at him and my instincts kick in. He dives back into the water and I focus my gaze. I throw it and it slices through the water. A cannon goes off as the water slowly turns a deep purple. Cashmere had an ax in the chest and Finnick a knife in the leg when I spun around. Enobaria ran to the woods as two cannons went off.

I feel the jerk of a storm and grab May around the shoulder and hurl us into the Cornucopia. We close our eyes and deal with the sickening spin until it stops. When we climb out Finnick is swimming out to Beetee and everyone is dumping sand out there mouths. May taps my shoulder and hands me Beetee's coil. I give it back to him as soon as he's on shore.

After that we're lost, no idea which section is which. So we wait to see the wave at ten. Finnick, Katniss and I go to get water from a tree, first making sure the monkeys weren't there since that's what time it is. I ask Katniss for the spile. We hear a distant scream and she runs off, dropping the spile.

We found her cleaning her arrow. "I'm okay. I'm okay. I thought I heard my sister but-" I didn't hear her after that, just a scream I've never heard but I know who it is. Finnick and I both run through the woods. We find a tree where Annie's voice emanates from.

I see it, a small bird screaming. My face goes from worry to anger as I whip out two knives. Both made contact with the twisted bird. Katniss walks up as Finnick makes the connection. "How could they have that scream?"

We all winced as we realized they got those screams from them. But what made them scream? I calm myself down and hear it. A scream that fills me with a twisted joy. "Who's that?" Katniss asked noticing that no one reacted.

I start downhill saying "My father." They gave me empty stares, disturbed by my lack of anger. We run faster than ever before, hearing the screams, dad, mom, Clare, Annie, then Scoot, Trish, all the people I met during my tour. The screams were bad, the fact the Capitol knew about all that was worse. Finally we meet the see through wall. Katniss hits it with her shoulder while Finnick and I smack into it face first. Finnick's nose gushed blood, but he counted himself lucky as I spit out blood every 3 seconds. The screams soon caught up to us and I clapped my hands over my ears, coughing up blood every now and then. Even when I felt May's touch my hands stay on my ears and my eyes stay shut. I know the screams are gone, but they still play over and over in my skull.

I finally calm down. May whispered into my ear. I open my eyes and she tells me that they took their voices and edited them in 3. I guess her shock has worn off. We went on the basics, water and fish. Then the faces started in the sky, both from 1, Mags, the woman from 5, and the man from 10. "All that's left now is us, Chaff and Enobaria." I state as the anthem ended.

A parachute came down and Finnick opened it. He found more bread and counted 30 pieces. We each had two and save rest. Beetee and May say that its just like from 3. We eat where the waves were, for twelve hours of safety. The entire time we hear a buzzing and we don't dare go near. We rest, again I remain sleepless, I hear Katniss and Peeta talking but ignore them, knowing this was a serious conversation. When the thunder strikes Finnick and I again take the watch.

"So how is it hearing your dad's scream not effect you?" he whispered watching the water.

"I said father, not dad."

"Oh, ok sorry, father."

I ignore the cameras. I don't care what the Capitol does to him. "He lied to me my whole life. My mom's not my mother. My real mother was in 11."

"Wow."

"His scream just granted me some twisted joy."

"Wow, that's creepy."

"You haven't read my book have you?"

"No."

We sat in silence until everyone awoke and we got more bread from the sky. Katniss takes Peeta to the water to teach him to swim while May and I try weaving like Finnick. Soon they help Finnick get the scabs off, but I know that will just let weak skin through, so I keep my slashes of scabs. Beetee explains a large plan that I really can't keep track of, so I just follow them to the lightning tree. I mostly ignore the chitchat they have about Katniss taking the lead, but when I hear 'Force fields are nothing to play around with' I couldn't help but say "I can vouch for that."

After we make it to the tree I go hunting with Katniss and we return after hearing the waves. When noon approaches we move to the blood rain forest then go back to the beach that was flooded. Beetee and May worked on the wire while the rest of us prepared a feast of seafood. I came out the water to see Katniss and Peeta talking about something he found. I ignored them and continued finding food.

We got two more parachutes, one with bread from 3 and one with a red sauce from home. It's the only thing my mom could cook well. She did what most people did but added a few things. "Wait, this needs more." I crush one of the last pieces of 4 bread to add a salty taste to it, I go to a tree where we got sap instead of water and tossed the sap in it, and to finish I had to ask for some honey, which was brought in an instant. I mixed it all in and we began to eat. The anthem shows no faces in the sky. My mind wanders as I see the glow of the moon in the refection of the water. _If only this weren't the Games, if only this was how life was, people I actually trust and us getting food everyday and living on a beautiful beach. If only…_I snapped back again as we went to the tree.

Beetee once again explained the plan. I tried keeping track to no avail. He gave Katniss, Johanna, and I the coil and we started to the beach, Katniss and I guarding Johanna. "Great, you four get the tree and I get the snake and the mongoose!"

When Johanna and Katniss are switching jobs the wire suddenly springs up and tangles them, the end cut. I watch as Johanna knocks Katniss out and I start slowly dissecting her arm, my perfect knife work leaving her nerves and arteries in tact as I remove the chip keeping track of her like I had to Johanna and I. We were still writhing in pain as Enobaria came up to see the bloodied Katniss, alive, but barely. We ran off. "Glad you two ditched that rag tag team of yours and finally joined me." she said as we began to slow.

"Yeah, this is the smartest thing I've done this whole Game." Johanna smirked nudging my side. Time. In a blink of the eye Enobaria fell, barely able to turn and let blood bubble out of her mouth, must've hit a lung or something. I retrieve my knife and Johanna and I race back to the lightning tree. On our way she smacks into a tree and falls back, some vines entangling her. "Go ahead, I'll catch up later."

I continue on. I find Finnick and we start looking for Katniss. We soon hear her yelling for Peeta. It leads us to the lightning tree but we find no one. As soon as we got there electric matter rained down as explosions rang through the woods. A hovercraft came and picked up two forms farther up the hill. We stood there and waited to be picked up ourselves.


	9. A New Home, A New Discovery

_**BEEN GOING THROUGH A LOT LATELY, FIGURED SOME STUFF OUT, GONNA ADD THESE CHARACTERISTICS TO MY CHARACTER, MORE ORIGINAL CHARACTERS, AND SOME CHANGE TO THE STORYLINE OBVIOUSLY. SORRY IF YOU DECIDE TO HATE THE STORY BUT IF YOU DO THEN YOU'RE A HATER!**_

_For those of you who don't know, the specialties of 5, 6 and 9 were released a while ago. 5 is power, 6 is transportation, and 9 is grain._

After an hour-long health check, I was taken to the navigation room. There I met three rebels from the districts, Nick, Jordan, and Daisy. They were assigned to tell me how things work in 13, when they were done we just talked about our lives.

Nick was from 6. He had a basic slender form and short black hair, his smirk was the kind that made you wanna slap him and get to know him at the same time. Apparently he was a railway directional programmer back in 6. Now he helps give the hovercrafts in 13 some boosts that weren't allowed in Panem. He was taken almost everywhere to perform maintenance if needed.

Jordan was from 9. She had long light brown hair that went down to the middle of her back. She mostly did grain research in 9, but would sneak out and test outside plants. Now she studies plants for 13 and came to get samples from the forest.

Daisy was from 5. She had shortish brown hair and an hourglass figure. In 5 she monitored electric flow of the lightning rods and had to go out and fix any problems. Now she does the same for 13, but only checks when the storm stops unlike in 5.

They told me Katniss, Finnick, Beetee, and I were all that they got out of there. "What about May? Johanna? Peeta? May?"

Daisy's smooth singer voice couldn't even calm me down. "Chase, you said her twice, and we don't know." My world sank. "But you can't let that depress you, only make you wanna save her more."

Nick gripped my shoulder. "Yeah, your not the only one fighting for someone, a lot of people are…" he trailed off without finishing his thought. His oddly purple eyes just dug into mine.

"Sorry, he does that a lot." Said Jordan pushing him back into his seat. "Oh shit! You must be starving! I'll go get you something!" she ran out the room in a flash.

Nick snapped back to reality. "Sorry, anyway, many of us are fighting for someone, I left people behind in 6. Think about them every day." He stares down at the empty table, clearly in some emotional trance.

"Poor guy, where's Jordan with that food?" Daisy mumbled as she stormed out, leaving me with a zoned out Nick.

We sat there in awkward silence for about 5 minutes, _how big is his hovercraft?_

"Sorry."

"No problem. Who you fighting for?"

"It's too hard to talk about."

"Oh, sorry"

"It's Derrick! I just miss him so much! I've felt so…" he blurted out, but didn't finish.

"So?"

"Lonely." His eyes fluttered shut with a warm smile as he seemed to drift off.

I finally put the pieces together. "Oh… OH! Your- and you two- so you mean-wow!" He probably had no idea what I realized, he probably thinks I'm crazy!

"Yeah, most people react that way."

"You understood what I was saying? I didn't understand what I was saying!" I blurted out standing up. He chuckled as he walked over and pat my shoulder.

"Again most people…" he seemed to drift off again, "react…" his grip on my shoulder seemed to tense up, "that way." His eyes gave a confused look as his arms wrapped around my neck. I wanted to leap away, but I didn't, I've really known a positive touch, but this did. My arms wrapped around his body and my fingers grazed below his shoulders, I felt the goose bumps on him as his soft lips crossed mine. I feel my eyes shutter close. In seconds I shove him away falling back myself.

We hear a crash and turn to the door where Jordan and Daisy stood with food littered at their feet and a bent tray rolling around the floor. "How much did you see?" was the only thing that I could say.

"We walked in at 'react…' and saw everything afterwards." Jordan gasped out. Nick's purple eyes darted around from me to them. He ran out of before you could say WTF?

"So, you two are getting along?" Daisy asked with an awkward smile.

"I'm leaving." I squeeze past them but stop. I don't know where to go.

"Wait, we still need Nick, I'll take you to his room and you get him to come out."

"Why me?"

"'Cause it's a strictly male only room and clearly you two need to talk a bit!" I rejected the entire way as they dragged me down countless hallways. "Now GO!" they yelled shoving me into the huge room. _How big is this thing? I've seen hovercrafts that could fit in this room!_ I peered from bunk to bunk, finally finding a form under a blanket.

"Hey?"

"What? You come to yell at me?" he shot at me without looking.

"No, but, listen, they need you out there, I don't care if you hate me or not, but just get your ass out there!" I said slowly working my way to a straight up yell.

"Fine, but just," he paused as if wondering how to word this, "Don't look at me."

"Fine." I glared at the form in confusion and walked away, hearing his footsteps behind me as I walked out the room and hear him walk down the hall the other way.

"Wanna talk Chase?" Jordan's grip was warm, but her jagged nails dug into my skin. I shook her off.

"No, where can I be alone?" they gestured to the room so I just slept on and off the rest of the trip. I went from sleep to thinking, back and forth. Finally it got to the point I couldn't sleep and my mind was numb with thoughts. I got up and started wandering through the halls. All I could find were locked doors, empty meeting rooms, and halls to the many engines these things have.

I wandered into a room with a huge glass wall, computers everywhere, and people typing away. Daisy watched a wavy line on a screen, Jordan was dropping seeds into test tubes, and Nick was watching six confusing screens all at once. He saw me and started to slowly stroll over.

I spun on my heels and over to the door, only to get blocked by Daisy and Jordan. I cursed under my breath. I started spun back and found Nick just inches from my face. He cracked his knuckles, "Let's talk."

I looked around him to see dozens of stunned faces staring at us. Daisy and Jordan slid from our way as Nick pushed me out of the room. The door closed behind us as I felt the sweat trickle down my neck. _Why would he be angry at me? It's not like I'm the one who kissed him!_ We slowly walked down a hall until we came to a door marked Engine Room #9. He took out his keys, unlocked the door, and we walked in.

There was a huge engine in the center and it was steaming hot. I wiped the sweat already forming off my forehead. "So, where you want to go with this?" he said.

I peered over to him. He hasn't broken a sweat, probably used to this kind of place. "Look, I'm confused and my life will never work at all with any kind of romance. That was a mistake that never happened."

He had a look of relief and hurt. "Okay then." He opened the door and we went separate ways. I was able to find Katniss and Gale, they told me what happened to 12 and I knew that every district had changed.

*TIME JUMP*

I sat in a room with those 13 was able to save, a whole three people. Clair sat there in shock of my still being alive, Trish was huddled up with her arms holding her knees to her chest despite the cast on her right arm. Then there was someone I didn't tell them to save. My father sat with a scowl as I watched him through the one-way glass.

"Why did you save him?" I asked the lifeline leader from 8.

"Because we assumed you'd want your family, your mom wasn't found, but he was." She said brushing her blonde locks from her eyes.

"Well I want him out of here now." I said whipping a cleverly concealed knife from my long sleeve.

She snatched it out of my hand. "No, he knows valuable information on Capitol weaponry."

"Well why am I here?"

"They are your connections, you decide where they're allowed to be, sleep, and how we should extract info if needed."

"Well what kind of info can Clair and Trish provide?"

"Clair, none, but Trish seems to know a lot about underground 11."

"Well she seems to react well to positive stuff. My father, whatever the hell you need to do." I turned around and walked off.

I stepped out into the hall to bump into the second to last person I want to see right now, Nick. We froze in place. "Chase." He said extending his chin forward.

"Nick." I said puffing out my chest. I have a life of action, not drama. I can't have something like this clouding my mind forever. "So, how's things?"

"Really? You're really trying to pretend like that thing on the ship never happened?"

_Fuck. I thought that might work. _"Fine, things aren't really that good. On the ship some dick had told me his life is too confusing for anything, little does he know what's going on in mine!"

I lifted my head, which apparently chose to look at feet. "Okay, how 'bout we put all that behind us? Try over?"

He glared at me and gave me an odd look. "Fine, let's see what happens." He slapped on a smirk saying 'That's just great, let's live through the awkward!'

"So how you like 13 so far?" he asked as we walked down the hall together.

"A bit uptight but other whys not bad." I answered realizing I was going the wrong way down the hall. Something tells me 13 is gonna be weird, and a life changer.


End file.
